Architects smash London’s Ally Pally because obviously

“It’s only just begun,” threatened ‘Dead Man Talking’ at the Concorde 2 launch show for ‘All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us’. Six months later at Brixton Academy, that same line was held aloft with hope and uncertainty as the lights flickered. Tonight though, at Alexandra Palace, it’s a promise.

With the stage bathed in scarlet and blue, the opening whir of ‘A Match Made In Heaven’ sees Architects surging forward. Every moment screams emotion as the band dig deep and channel something sacred through the speakers. It’s furious and heartfelt, pointed fingers and shattered belief in the happy ever after, the group have been wrestling with control since the start and tonight it’s theirs for the taking.

Grabbing at the evening with both hands, a smirk and a clearing of the throat, Sam Carter asks the crowd to “give me a minute. I’ve waited a long time to say this,” before welcoming the room to “the biggest Architects show ever.” The leap from their last biggest ever show to this has been swift but as the band tear through ‘Naysayer’ (“I know you know this song so sing it with me,”), ‘Deathwish’ and ‘Broken Cross’, they look at home commanding the masses from the stage.

The songs stick together, an unrelenting mass of fury and frenzy, while flames, confetti and sparks rain down on the stage. Lasers cut through the air but all the pyrotechnics in the world couldn’t steal focus from Architects’ bubbling excitement and shared blood-letting.

Bounding from polish to pausing for breath, the scale of tonight is unlike anything the band have done before but the connection is the same as it’s ever been. Architects share their truths, their worries and their fears and the audience can see themselves in that. Their victories are the same. “People can come here, feel safe and have a good time without being judged or being scared.” We’re all in this together.

“Right now, it’s ok to feel scared in this world that we live in,” starts Sam before a looming ‘The Devil Is Near’.“What it’s not ok to feel is alone, because you are not alone. You are not alone in how much you care, you are not alone in how much fire is in your fucking stomach. If you want to make a difference, you fucking can. I’m telling you this, you are lucky to see every day. When you see something that is wrong, sexism, racism, homophobia, or just outright hate towards anyone. Don’t be a sheep. Stand up for what is right. Don’t be the person that goes home wishing that they did something. Be proud that you stood up for somebody, and you showed them love, and you showed them compassion. Love will always fight over hate, and love will always win.”

‘Doomsday’ closes out the main set, a scratched anthem in finding the strength to carry on, rippling and tearing in real time before an encore sees the band fall away from their unrelenting march forward and allow space to flourish through the calm stream of ‘Memento Mori’, the churning riptide of ‘Nihilist’ and the floating in the forth power of ‘Gone With The Wind’. This show is about wildest dreams coming true. It’s about worst fears being realised. Through it all there’s a strength in numbers and tonight, Architects are unmovable.